Central Cali’s Class of 2026 Final Player Rankings (31-40)

This is the 6th and final version of the Class of 2026 Player Rankings, which all but the last round can be found at the Nothing But Net Magazine website. I have updated this list to include the 2025-2026 high school basketball season and postseason. I have expanded this list from 60 to 65 players from around the Central Section. This list of players was compiled using my own evaluations, along with feedback from knowledgeable media, coaches, and other relevant basketball personnel from the Section, to make up the top 65 senior prospects for this updated round of player rankings for the 2026 Class. However, the order of players on this list is my own. This list takes into consideration two key factors in determining where players are ranked, and will be the same criteria used each time this list is updated. The criteria for these rankings are as follows: current skill level and production on the court, as well as future projection at the collegiate level. The depth of this class combined with the impact many have had since their freshman year, has led to some impressive statistics and numbers that set some on track to achieve key milestones and even school records. Below are the next 10 players of these players rankings, #31-40, and will be followed by #41-50. In this article, you will find the following information: current rank, their previous rank in parentheses, the player's name, height, player position, current school attending, and college commitment if it applies. We begin this final list with a look at #31, Daymen Tamayo.   31 (NR) Daymen Tamayo |5'11| Coalinga    Making his debut in this list of player rankings in its last round and coming in at #31 is volume scorer Daymen Tamayo. Tamayo finished off a stellar high school career accomplishing nearly all you can as a high school basketball player, but fell short of a state title by two games. Tamayo led Coalinga to a 10-0 league record, the outright West Sierra League champs, earned the #2 seed in the D5 Section playoffs, won the D5 Section title in a classic over Santa Maria, and made it to the D5 State semifinals, before falling to Sylmar. Individually, Tamayo set the all-time program scoring record at 2,258 points, was named West Sierra League MVP, earned Player of the Game honors in the D5 Section championship, and put up impressive numbers across the board with 26 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals per game. Tamayo has solid handles, uses the crossover, hesitation, and behind-cross to get by his initial defender, has a good burst of speed off the dribble, gets good lift on the jumper, with accuracy on the mid-range to the 3-point line, has great body control when attacking down the lane, absorbing contact at the basket and still able to score the ball, and keeps relentless pressure on the defense, Tamayo has good court vision, makes good decisions with the ball in his hands, finds open teammates off the drive and kick pass or bounce pass to teammates in the dunker spot, crashes the boards to get the ball and push the pace in the open court, and finds teammates up the court for transition buckets. Tamayo has good foot-speed to stay in front of his opponent, active hands to poke the ball out, and the timely instincts to jump passing lanes and get out in transition.   32 (37) [player_tooltip player_id='3150628' first='Acen' last='Zuniga'] |6'2| Centennial-Bakersfield   Zuniga moves up five spots in this final list of player rankings and comes in at #32. Zuniga transferred to Centennial his junior year, and was a key part of the G-Hawks success, especially during his senior season, as Centennial would win the SYRL title with a 9-1 record, earning a spot in the D1 Section title game. Zuniga earned 2nd-Team All-SYRL honors, averaged 12.3 points, second on the team, 4.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 3 steals per game, and hit some big shots in the play-in game against Clovis East to advance to the D1 Section playoffs. Zuniga is a solid on-ball defender with good lateral quickness and active hands to disrupt his opponent's focus, is active on the boards with the handle to push the pace of play, and has the court vision to find open teammates when on the attack off the drive and kick pass, or out of the pick and roll action. Zuniga is deadly with the mid-range jumper off the dribble, as he can connect on the standard pull-up jumper, but has the body control and accuracy to hit the spin-fadeaway or step-back jumper with regularity. Not sure if Zuniga will pursue football or basketball after high school, but he could play at the JUCO level and has the work ethic and skill to play beyond that with the focus and development into being a true combo guard.    33 (NR) Justin Armbrister |6'2| Sanger West-Fresno   Armbritster makes his debut on this final round of player rankings, breaking into the top 35 of this list, dropping in at #33. Armbrister was key in helping the Hornets win the NYL title, going 9-1 in league play, earning the #1 seed in the D4 Section playoffs, earned 1st-Team All-NYL honors, and averaged 11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals per game. Armbritster had a strong showing in the D5 Section title game, and despite the loss, he earned runner-up Player of the Game with 16 points and 9 rebounds. Armbrister is active on the boards, looks to push the pace of play in the open court, has the instincts and timing to jump passing lanes or deflect passes to turn defense to offense, as he excels in transition play. Armbrister is effective with the 3-ball to space the floor, uses his length and quick twitch to get by his initial defender, and is a crafty scorer around the basket. Impact two-way player that will be the only core piece graduating out and left his imprint on the young program.    34 (NR) Julius Medina |6'1| Santa Maria    Medina is making his debut on this list of player rankings and drops in at #34 in this final round of player rankings. Medina had a stellar senior season, individually and with his team, as the Saints would win the Ocean League with a 10-0 record, earned the top seed in the D5 Section playoffs, and made it to the D5 Section title game. Medina earned Ocean League MVP honors, put up huge numbers for the season with averages of 22.2 points, 9 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 4 steals per game, and was named runner-up Player of the Game in the D5 Section title game with 25 points, connecting on 6 threes, 6 rebounds, and 6 steals. Medina has solid handles, uses the crossover, hesitation, and between-cross to get his defender off balance, moves fluidly off the ball to get open at his shot spots, can catch fire quickly from beyond the arc, off the dribble or the catch, scores in volume, and has good body control when on the attack off the pump-fake and drive. Medina is active on the glass, which allows him to push the ball up the court, is a tough on-ball defender that uses his quick hands and basketball IQ to generate steals. One of the top 15 three point shooters in California and that translates to the next level, but Medina is also a quality baseball prospect.    35 (NR) Samuel Santillan |6'1| Porterville    Another player making his debut on this final list of player rankings and rounding out the top 35 is Sammy Santillan. Santillan was the key floor spacer for the Panthers this season, helped lead Porterville to the EYL title, was named 1st-Team All-EYL, and averaged 14 points per game, on nearly 40% shooting from beyond the arc to highlight his ability to light it up from the 3-point line. Santillan has good handles, moves fluidly off the ball to get to his shot spots, has a smooth but quick release on the jumper, uses the pump fake to get his defender off balance to attack open lanes, and has the court vision to find open teammates off the drive and kick pass. Santillan had several games this season connecting on 5 or more threes and once he got in a rhythm he was one of the more reliable 3-point shooters. Santillan is also a good golfer, so I am not sure what his plans are next year, but with his shooting ability, he could make a JUCO roster if he decided to go the hoops route.     36 (12) Logan Missler |6'2| San Luis Obispo   Missler made a significant drop in this final list of 2026 player rankings, but this is due to him missing his senior season due to an injury, as he comes in at #36. Without any stats for his senior season, combined with those above him in this final list that had major impacts on their team's success, are the key reasons for Missler moving down into the 30s. I last saw Missler last season and his skill set as a combo guard were among the tops in the Section. Missler has a strong handle on the ball, uses the crossover, behind-cross, between-cross, and the hesitation to create space from his defender, is effective with the jumper from the mid-range to the 3-point line, has the court vision to find open players off the drive and kick pass, and is a creative scorer at the basket with use of the Euro-step and reverse lay-ups to evade shot-blockers. I anticipate that Missler will go to Cuesta college and, once he is fully recovered, he will be a player to track at the next level.     37 (17) Stanley Makely |6'3| Central East-Fresno   Makely moves out of the top 20 and lands at #37 in this final list of player rankings. Makely has been one of the top shooters for the Bengals the last two seasons, as he moves well off the ball to get open looks off the catch, or create his own shots off the dribble, with the use of the crossover and the hesitation to create space from his defender. Makely is solid on the glass, runs the floor well in the open court, has the wingspan and active hands to disrupt or deflect passes, which turns defense to offense, where Makely can set up for the transition 3-ball.     38 (44) Demetrius Simon |6'2| McLane-Fresno    Simon comes in at #38 in this last round of player rankings, moving up 6 spots and making his presence felt for the Highlanders this season, as McLane would have a season for the ages. Simon would help lead McLane to the D4 Section championship win, was named to the 1st-Team All-NYL, and put up impressive numbers with 13.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 3.6 steals per game, showing off his ability to impact the game in various ways. Simon is active on the boards, plays much taller than his listed height to be a great positional rebounder, has the defensive versatility to hold up against taller players, and the agility and lateral quickness to stay in front of his opponent, with the active hands to generate steals to get transition buckets. Simon has the body control to score through contact at the basket, can spread the floor with the jumper, and excels in the open court, where his athleticism works in his favor.    39 (45) Michael Harris |6'2| Hoover-Fresno   Harris moves up 6 spots in this final list of player rankings and lands at #39. Harris had a highly productive season for the Pats, as he would play the big man position, despite being undersized, and held his own game after game. Harris would help Hoover win the CMAC 2 League, was named to the 1st-Team All-CMAC squad, and averaged 11.4 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals per game, showing his ability to impact both sides of the ball. Harris has great touch on shots around the basket, is active on the glass, gets the ball out and runs the floor well to get ahead of the defense, and can open up the court with the jump shot, with the ability to connect on the 3-ball to keep his defender honest. Harris provided the defensive prowess needed to alter shots by opposing players, but would be more of a wing/slasher if he decides to play at the next level.    40 (14) Lydell Farmer |6'5| Clovis East   Rounding out the Top 40 is Lydell Farmer, who was a top 15 prospect before leaving the Section to attend Phoenix Prep. Midway through the season, Farmer returned for league play and his length and height were much needed by Clovis East. Farmer was taken out of these player rankings after leaving the Section and has just been added back in, but with lack of stats from the season, I moved him down significantly due to the season that many of the players ahead of him were able to display. Farmer does have enough handles to push the ball up the court, has the moves to shake his defender, with use of the crossover, spin-move, and hesitation to get by his defender, is effective with the mid-range jumper off the bounce, with good off-ball movement to get open for catch and shoot threes, which he can connect on to open up the court. Farmer crashes the boards, uses his wingspan to alter/block shots in the paint, with the strides and timing to step out and alter shots on the perimeter. Farmer is a player that could be a steal for a JUCO program and with continued work on his overall skill-set, is a player to keep an eye on the next few years.

This is the 6th and final version of the Class of 2026 Player Rankings, which all but the last round can be found at the Nothing But Net Magazine website. I have updated this list to include the 2025-2026 high school basketball season and postseason. I have expanded this list from 60 to 65 players from around the Central Section. This list of players was compiled using my own evaluations, along with feedback from knowledgeable media, coaches, and other relevant basketball personnel from the Section, to make up the top 65 senior prospects for this updated round of player rankings for the 2026 Class. However, the order of players on this list is my own. This list takes into consideration two key factors in determining where players are ranked, and will be the same criteria used each time this list is updated. The criteria for these rankings are as follows: current skill level and production on the court, as well as future projection at the collegiate level. The depth of this class combined with the impact many have had since their freshman year, has led to some impressive statistics and numbers that set some on track to achieve key milestones and even school records. Below are the next 10 players of these players rankings, #31-40, and will be followed by #41-50. In this article, you will find the following information: current rank, their previous rank in parentheses, the player's name, height, player position, current school attending, and college commitment if it applies. We begin this final list with a look at #31, Daymen Tamayo.